Tag: labor and delivery

Chiropractic care is considered a safe and effective means to support a comfortable pregnancy, labor and delivery. As a pregnant woman prepares herself for birth, hormonal and physical changes can create a lot of stress and discomfort. Chiropractic care can help soothe the aches and pains associated throughout pregnancy, and prepare the body for a healthy labor and delivery.

First Trimester
Hormonal changes in the body as it adjusts to the early stages of pregnancy can have quite an impact to a woman’s body. This can cause symptoms such as morning sickness, water retention and/or bloating, headaches, mood swings and muscle tension. Since taking medications is not recommended during pregnancy, chiropractic treatment is a safe, non-drug alternative to treat many of these symptoms.

Second Trimester
As a pregnant woman will gain her greatest amount of weight during the second trimester, this can cause her center of gravity to be shifted forward. This shift can put additional stress on the muscles of the lower back and pelvis, causing the lumbar spine to increase its natural arch. Chiropractic adjustments can help reduce low back pain through the duration of pregnancy.

Third Trimester
The continuing weight gains carried in the final months of pregnancy increase more stress and discomfort to the lower back and causing pressure and irritability to the sciatic nerve. Breast enlargement may cause shoulders to hunch and upper back pain to increase. The hormone Relaxin, used to promote greater flexibility of the ligaments and tendons to aid in labor and delivery, is released during the final trimester and may cause joints around the pelvic area to partially dislocate. Chiropractic adjustments can re-establish proper alignment and movement and create a stage for the baby to be delivered in a healthy way. Breech babies, those positioned to be born feet, first are often times the result of pelvic and sacrum misalignment. By doing a few adjustments, the chiropractor can help in aligning these areas to encourage the baby to turn into normal, head first position.

By alleviating the musculoskeletal symptoms of pregnancy, many of the other stress symptoms such as headaches and mood swings can be eased as well. This can give the mother-to-be a more healthy and uncomplicated delivery.